I'm really confused as I'm getting into this hog hunting and eating thing. I thought a pork shoulder was the front and a butt or ham was the rear. Doing some reading for recipes they call the front several different things including the butt. Didn't know you could have butt up front...

My last hog I cleaned I took the straps and the hams, didn't bother with the front half thinking the hams were the better thing to take. In the recipe/bbq reading, it seems most of the conversation is around the shoulder and front butt I"ll call it. Haven't eaten it yet.

for smoking it, the rear quarter and front quarters are both good. not much meat on the ribs typically, but can be good too. a very common cut of domestic pork "boston butt" is actually part of the front shoulder of a domestic hog. folks in boston may be a little confused about the location of their butt. I'm not sure. but that's what it is.

when we take time to butcher a hog we tend to butcher the whole thing. by the time I've gotten my hands and the knife dirty I may as well use it all. the hogs we don't butcher we don't butcher any of it. just leave them for the buzzards.

I butchered up my first one about 3 years ago and did the whole thing. The one I mentioned above (my second) was just a couple of weeks ago, so it's been a while since a whole one. I take it a hog has alot more meat higher up on the shoulder than say a deer? Did find the ribs to be as you say. If the skin was easier to peel back, it really wouldn't be an issue of what to take, could certainly be a little bit of lazy in there too.

A pork shoulder is called a "Boston Butt". Call it a shoulder, no one will mind. Hams are hams. For wild pigs, really the only 3 cuts worth the trouble harvesting are the shoulder, ham, and backstraps. Take headshots (give them an ear ring, or put it right behind the eye to evacuate the grey matter) to not waste the shoulder meat by plowing through one or both of the scapulas. Once you get bone marrow into the meat, might as well throw it away. Otherwise you'll be crunching your way through your meal. Worse than egg shells in your breakfast.

A pork shoulder is called a "Boston Butt". Call it a shoulder, no one will mind. Hams are hams. For wild pigs, really the only 3 cuts worth the trouble harvesting are the shoulder, ham, and backstraps. Take headshots (give them an ear ring, or put it right behind the eye to evacuate the grey matter) to not waste the shoulder meat by plowing through one or both of the scapulas. Once you get bone marrow into the meat, might as well throw it away. Otherwise you'll be crunching your way through your meal. Worse than egg shells in your breakfast.

I sort of agree, although I'm not a really good marksman so I tend to take head shots only when I have a REALLY good opportunity. I'll take neck shots if I can, but if the angle or distance mandates a shoulder shot then that's what I do. I figure it's better to waste a little meat than to have a wounded hog run off where I can't find it. If the shoulder(s) get messed up, I'll trim off what's good and use it for sausage or stew.

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